Going - Standard. showery
Trifecta Not Won. Pool of 893.18 carried forward to Thurles on Saturday 7th January. Days Aggregate - 82,876.99
Polished performance from odds-on Brass
it's good to get the year off to a good start!. There doesn't seem to be many here for the maidens at the moment but the handicaps are very busy.
Lynam 'two from two' in 2012
Spin Of A Coin (third placed) has been a little bit unlucky several times but hopefully there's a day in him yet. Akasaka lost his way a bit so we gave him a break and he has come back well. Joseph O'Brien always liked him and Emmet (McNamara) said he did it well tonight.
Billyford scores sixth career win
I've been writing a book about Billyford, and his long layoff due to an ownership dispute, for the last three years. He is a real family horse and is named after my brother, who sadly passed away. He's a lovely horse and we hope to bring him to Kempton soon. I nursed him back to health, am 58 years old and rode him out this morning!. We don't know how good Billyford is at this stage as he has lost three years - no matter how good he is you can't get those years back.
Hard Rock rolls back the years
I thought if he went on the track that he would win, even if he is older than me!. I was afraid the ground was a little quick for him now that he is older and while I've had him back four or five months, it was nearly impossible to assess him on The Curragh with the winds. Niall (McCullagh) has been riding him at home and was very happy with him and the horse still loves what he does - it's nice to get off the mark early in the season.
Elwazeer defies 15lbs hike
Elwazeer had to do it the hard way from that draw but won well and obviously likes this place. He'll be back here in a few weeks again.
McCullagh doubles up on Bramante
Sad outcome to Dundalk maiden
Mutasareb wins Dundalk finale
Joseph gave him a great ride - they were a bit slowly away but otherwise everything went to plan. He's a fine big strong horse, is very relaxed and takes his racing well. He wants a mile and a half and we'll see what the handicapper does now before probably coming back here in a few weeks.